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Corporate Philanthropy: Preston Motors Takes on COVID-19

August 7, 2020 by The Spy Leave a Comment

The way David Wilson, Jr. looks at it, his family company’s collection of car dealerships are doing relatively well during the coronavirus crisis. And the reason for that is because of the business strategies that were put into place long before COVID hit our shores. With an early investment on the internet, a long-standing guarantee to deliver cars for free to anywhere in the country, and, more importantly, a culture of respect for both customers and their employees, Preston Automotive Group is surviving reasonably well in one of the most precarious financial crises the United States has ever experienced.

Wilson, president of Preston, is the first to say that it is solely through the collective will of its over 600 associates, that his family business has been able to pivot quickly to this new normal in the car industry. While it may take some time to return to their record-breaking sales over the last few years (Preston Ford is in the top thirty dealerships in America), the Preston team remains the same “can do” people that the Wilson family had spent decades trying to build.

One element of the Preston culture has always been community philanthropy. Beginning with his parents insistence that the company is known for giving back, and supported by one of the most successful marketing campaigns to support it, David and his team have built a remarkable donation machine.

But what does a company do when confronted by COVID? How does it pivot to quickly meet the needs of families in the community who have lost jobs or won’t send their kids to work?

In his most recent Spy interview, Wilson talks about the Preston culture of giving and how they quickly adjusted their giving programs using their icon frog in light of this new reality. He also talks about how this spirit of giving impacts the broader Preston community, as the company seeks ways to support two employees whose children are fighting cancer.

This video is approximately five minutes in length

Kent County CARES Enough to Get Outside Help

August 4, 2020 by The Spy Leave a Comment

It might seem to be a logical strategy for county governments to bring in a professional to help small businesses and nonprofits with the variety of grants and loans available to them to survive through the COVID-19 crisis.

While these programs are remarkably generous, they require meticulous paperwork for these small enterprises to complete, sometimes complex applications. So it makes perfect sense to bring in a professional to help guide prospective grantees through this process.

But surprisingly, Kent County might be one of the few Maryland counties to offer that kind of personal help in this form. Last month, the county signed a contract with Caines CPA, a consulting firm specializing in helping small businesses, in being an essential resource for these struggling businesses. Until the end of December, David Caines, and his wife, Erin, will be working closely with owners and nonprofit leaders to secure the funding they need to keep their doors open.

The Spy sat down with David Caines on Monday to hear about how this all works.

This video is approximately three minutes in length. To contact David Caines, please go here.

New Leadership Comes to Kent County Chamber of Commerce

July 15, 2020 by Dave Wheelan 1 Comment

It’s safe to say that when an organization starts a new year with a new executive director and a new president of its governing board, there will be plenty of new opportunities. With this “new blood” in place, almost every aspect of a group’s mission is evaluated, from short-term objectives to long-term goals, in a typically healthy process to achieve the more impact.

The Kent County Chamber of Commerce, with its membership of over 300, is one of the Mid-Shore’s most well-known and respected business associations, that is currently experiencing this phenomenon.

With Sam Shoge as the Chamber’s new executive director this spring, and Bryan Matthews assuming his new role as president of the organization in January, a unique dynamic duo will be at the helm.

Shoge, a long-time resident of Kent County,former Town of Chestertown Council member, and most recently, a member of the Talbot County Economic Development office, was eager to take on this new role to combine his passion for entrepreneurship and business development with his love of community.

Matthews, a former coach and vice president at Washington College, and now for many years, a vice president at KRM Development Corporation, was also motivated to find new ways to help Chamber members through further education and networking programs.

The Spy sat down with both of them, appropriately socially distanced, to talk about the future of commerce in Kent County and their combined effort to reinforce the relevancy of the Chamber as the county prepares to enter a new and unpredictable world as the region begins to recover from the COVID-19 crisis.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. To learn more about the Kent County Chamber of Commerce please go here

Hospitality: Tidewater Inn Adjusts to Post-COVID World

June 25, 2020 by Val Cavalheri Leave a Comment

Hospitality. It’s at the core of most businesses that deal with the public. At its most basic level, it is conveyed by a warm handshake and a sincere smile. Books are written, and courses are given on reading expressions to interpret a customer’s level of comfort or happiness. So, what happens when faces are partially covered, touching is discouraged, and distance is mandated?

Living through a pandemic has uprooted all business. Many have been able to turn to video conferencing as a way to continue the personal touch. Other, have had to come up with innovative ways to manage inventory and sell product. But what if the product is a luxury hotel? How do you show hospitality, ensure comfort, feed, and entertain your guests even as new rules are being written? If you’re like Lauren Catterton, who rose up the ranks of the hotel business to become the current General Manager of the Tidewater Inn in Easton, you’re up to the challenge.

Noticeably, the hotel/restaurant/bar industry took a significant hit when COVID struck. “As soon as it happened,” said Catterton, “we just started researching as much as possible and rewriting hospitality, because they don’t hand you a book. No one said, ‘this is what you guys are going to do when you reopen.’ We had to make it up on our own. We had also been in the midst of some renovations when it all hit.”

Historically, the hotel does a major renovation every winter, their slow season. However, this past winter was even more special. Besides completing the elevation of the third-floor guest rooms, they were building the carriage house behind the Tidewater House (previously Inn at 202 Dover) and adding the Terrasse Spa to their long list of amenities.

The renovations are now completed, but nothing is now as was expected then. Catterton: “We had to make the properties’ COVID-Friendly’ following all the CDC guidelines. Hunter’s Tavern, the ballrooms, and the Terrace are all on a socially distant floor plan now.” Not only that, if visiting the restaurant, expect to be asked for both your name and your phone number as part of their contact tracing efforts, should they need to get in touch with you.

Weddings will have a different look, as well. Besides the tables being six feet apart, there can be no more than six people per table, unless they’re a family of eight. Cocktail reception and dancing will be done outside.

Remember turn down service? How about having your room cleaned while you were exploring the town? Not anymore. “Guests can call the front desk and let us know anything they may need,” says Catterton. “Housekeeping will put a little bag together for them and leave it on their door. When guests depart, the hotel rooms are left dormant for 24 hours, then we go in, and we fog it with like a, basically Lysol Ghostbuster. Of course, it’s more complicated than that, and we let that sit for another 24 hours. Then we strip it using CDC certified cleaning products. So, the room has to remain vacant for 72 hours before another guest can use it.”

Obviously, the safety of the guests has been a top priority, but there is that ‘hospitality’ factor that can’t be mandated or controlled but needs to be demonstrated in their line of work. Catterton has spent time thinking about how to deal with all of that. “It was the first thing that we discussed when we knew our guests were coming back: how do you let them know that you’re smiling under your mask? How do you project a specific tone of voice because you’re muffled? I think our staff is instinctually warm and hospitable, and I think that’s reflected, whether with a mask on or not. We’re a very small team, and we’ve been through a lot, but we are genuinely happy to do what we do, which is to take care of our guests.”

But it’s not just letting guests know how you’re feeling about them; it’s also learning to read their guests. “We already know when people tell us, ‘hey, I’m smiling behind my mask,’ because we hear it in their voice. But we’ve also had to learn to read people that are cautious and adjust our behavior accordingly, to focus on just making them feel very comfortable.”

Comfort, safety, and new ideas are something the Tidewater is committed to adding to their catalog. They are currently also partnering with the Avalon Foundations on Wednesday evenings through July 8 for a Sunlit Summer Song Series, which features al fresco style dinner and concert.

Then there is Terrasse, which opened just last week. Billed as a full-service spa destination, it offers massages, facials, body treatments, Reiki, etc. It occupies the space originally held by the John Moll Board Room and Dover Club. As promised, everything about it is both luxurious and relaxing. Best yet, you don’t have to be a Tidewater Inn guest to enjoy the services. Keep an eye out for their Locals for Locals special for Talbot County residents and their First Responder discount.

To Lauren Catterton, all these changes are inevitable and not always as planned. But she’s got new ideas and a new mission: “We have to have a different focus. Our efforts are now on recreational tourism and how we can be a more walkable/bikeable community that will bring people in. We are giving a lot of emphasis and energy to the outdoor dining experience and other things that we can do. We’re no longer just Easton focused. It’s what you can do in St. Michaels; what you can do in Oxford. After doing all the wonderful things you can do in the area, you can just stay here with us at the Tidewater.”

Val Cavalheri is a recent transplant to the Eastern Shore, having lived in Northern Virginia for the past 20 years. She’s been a writer, editor and professional photographer for various publications, including the Washington Post.

Commerce: When an Alcohol Distillery Takes on COVID-19

May 19, 2020 by Val Cavalheri Leave a Comment

By now, you probably know about how St. Michaels’ Windon Distilling, home of Lyon Rum, temporarily ventured into making hand sanitizers. But did you know that they’re still at it?

If you don’t remember or weren’t paying close attention, here is a brief recap. In mid-March, as businesses closed around the nation, the call went out, and a temporary dispensation was given to beverage alcohol distilleries to help make much-needed sanitizers. Distilleries everywhere took on the challenge. As the founder and CEO of Windon Distilling and the President of the Maryland Distillers Guild, Jamie Windon was in a unique position to help guide and create a network and database to funnel the many requests they were getting. These requests came from all over Maryland on behalf of multiple state agencies, front line workers, and essential businesses.

Those first few weeks were a scramble to learn how to make the product, how to procure the ancillary supplies (glycerin, hydrogen peroxide, bottles), and how to get it to the people who needed it. But the decision to make a new product was something they knew they had to do, not something they were doing from a business perspective. “This was our saying, yes to a need that came down to us from the State and the County,” says Windon. “We were simply responding, and because we were responding to their requests, we had no idea when we made that first batch if that was the only batch we were going to make, if we were going to do that and be done with it, or how long this would continue.”

It went on longer than what anyone expected. For six weeks, they tried to keep up with the demand. At one point, Windon remembers, the guild had a backlog of requests for over 20,000 gallons that had to be filled. And with 90% of the Distilling’s staff laid off, it became the responsibility of Windon and her partners to roll up their sleeves and “work 24/7 just as if we were starting a new business.”

With such a tremendous need, there was, of course, no extras to go around, despite the many calls they were receiving from the public. But two weeks ago, it all changed. The Distilling company is still making hand sanitizers, but they now have enough to sell to the private consumer, whether it’s an individual or a business preparing to reopen.

“Now anybody that needs it can contact us,” says Windon. “A business owner said to me the other day, ‘Oh man, I can’t find hand sanitizer, and when I did, it was $60 a gallon.’ And I said, ‘you know I make it, and it’s $35 a gallon.’ That’s been a mission of ours since the very beginning when we started this. We, along with many of our fellow distillers in Maryland, have worked to help correct price gouging and to provide something that was needed at a fair price. That’s just hugely important to us as a company.”

But don’t expect to see the personal-sized bottles. The company only sells one-gallon containers. And don’t expect to just be able to run into the distillery and pick one up. All transactions are done through email, with pickup by appointment at the showroom or their booth at the farmer’s markets.

At this point, Windon plans on continuing to make hand sanitizers as long as it’s needed and is proud of her company’s role in this unexpected opportunity. They won’t, however, be branding it into the Windon family of products. “If you look at our bottles, they have the FDA label. It’s very simple and clean. It’s a functional refill of an essential item, and it would be awful to stop making it when people in our community need it. When that need ceases, and when the calls and emails stop coming in, we’ll stop making it.”

She was also quick to confirm her real passion. “I don’t want a hand sanitizer business. I like making rum. I mean, that’s what we do here. Out of necessity, this booze factory is temporarily a hand sanitizer factory.”

This is a relief to the many Lyon fans, who had worried that the company might run out of rum. “Luckily, she said, “this is our seventh year in business, and we had a pretty good stock of the rum inventory and other spirits going into this. We stopped spirit production for about seven weeks to concentrate on the hand sanitizers.”

This past week the distillery started doing fermentations and making rum again. Their partner, Grey Wolf Distilling, has also begun distilling their vodka line. “But of course, like any business right now,” says Windon, “we’re not jumping back into full manufacturing because we simply don’t know what’s to come and what the demand will be. We’re just beginning to see our normal business start to come back. We’re still about 75% down in sales, but just enough to start needing to refill the rum supply.”

Which is a surprising comment given that the liquor industry has been reported to be thriving right now. Says Windon that could not be further from the truth. “Craft distillers and craft breweries across the country, especially in Maryland, are suffering. They’re suffering because their tasting rooms are closed, and in-store liquor store tasting opportunities are gone. In Maryland, we’ve seen an average of about 75% reduction in sales and as much as 100% for some distilleries. My friends who have breweries tell terrible stories about having to dump beer that’s beginning to expire that wasn’t sold. Luckily spirits don’t expire, so we count our blessings where we can.”

With tasting rooms being a critical revenue source for craft breweries, will Windon expect a quick return to reopen? Not quite. “Out of safety and responsibility to my staff and my customers, I was one of the very first businesses to close my doors before the Governor mandated it. I anticipate that I’ll be one of the last businesses to fully open my doors once it’s legal as well, simply because I want to take things slow. Our distillery is about hospitality, about taking care of people, making people comfortable. And until the public feels a renewed sense of trust that it’s safe to be close to people, we are aren’t able to provide what we normally provide, which is seriously wonderful service with a smile. That’s the core of who we are, and until we can do that, there’s no reason for me to open the tasting room. And I’m not in a hurry to. I’m going to wait until it’s safe. I don’t know how long that’ll take, but we’ll be here. We’re not going anywhere. We’ll just be doing things differently.”

Spying on Annapolis: Downtown not “Giving up the Ship”

May 17, 2020 by The Spy 1 Comment

If there were to be a list of early indicators that America might be ready to re-engage in tourist towns, downtown Annapolis should be on that metric board.

The historic state capital seemed like a perfect case study for evaluating the first full day of the newly revised Maryland social distancing guidelines from Governor Larry Hogan, who just happens to live in the hood.

What the Spy saw on Saturday was promising but tentative. Taking advantage of what could only be called a perfect May day, modest numbers of tourists, midshipmen, and locals returned to walking on Main Street, visiting some shops, or gathering at the city dock. And all of whom seemed to clustered with only known ones; but happy to have this buffered experience nonetheless

The city of Annapolis has launched a clever marketing campaign that borrows the famed motto of a naval commander in 1813 crying out to his ship’s crew to “Don’t give up the Ship.” The Spy found good evidence Saturday that no one is going to give up on any ship or this town anytime soon.

This video is approximately one minute in length

COVID-19: Biking Spikes with ECS’s Ryan Hickey and Zach Gill

May 13, 2020 by The Spy Leave a Comment

While the word “spiking” as a relatively negative connotation these days as COVID-19 works its way through the Mid-Shore, it still is a perfect term for the quantum leap that recreational biking has taken over the last six weeks.

With record sales of new bikes and the doubling of other bikes being repaired, dealers are facing an unfathomable level of demand since the coronavirus hit. Nowadays, owners and staff putting longer hours and increased schedules to meet the needs of customers.

The Spy interviewed Ryan Hickey, owner of Easton Cycle and Sport, and team member Zach Gill about this phenomenon.

This video is approximately two minutes in length. For more information about Easton Cycle and Sport please go here.

Gordman’s Parent Co. Files for Bankruptcy

May 12, 2020 by John Griep 1 Comment

Stage Stores Inc., which operates brands including Gordmans and Peebles, has filed for bankruptcy, citing the effects of closing all its stores as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The firm operated Peebles stores that had been rebranded as Gordmans in recent months in Easton and Chestertown.

In a May 10 letter to customers, President and CEO Michael Glazer said Stage had “been unable to obtain necessary financing to continue operating as an independent business.

“We have therefore filed voluntary petitions under Chapter 11, as we simultaneously run a sale process for our business or any of our assets and initiate an orderly wind-down of our operations,” Glazer wrote. “We hope our actions over the last several months to reposition the business will attract the right partner who is interested in our off-price concept.

“If we receive a viable bid for the business, we will terminate our winddown of operations at certain locations,” he wrote. “This is incredibly difficult news to deliver and it is a decision that we came to after exhausting all other options.”

Stage is the third large retailer to file for bankruptcy in recent days, following J. Crew and Neiman Marcus.

In its bankruptcy filing, Houston-based Stage said it had between 10,001 to 25,000 creditors and listed total assets at about $1.7 billion and total debts at about $1 billion. Stage reported about $1.6 billion in revenue in 2018.

The firm has about 28.9 million shares of common stock. Axar Capital Management LP holds nearly 15% of the firm’s equity; Glazer holds 6.41%.

The firm’s 50 largest creditors include Nike, which is owed $3.6 million; Adobe, $2.64 million; Skechers, $2.31 million; Ralph Lauren, $2.138 million; Levi, $2.079 million; and Adidas, $1.879 million. One Maryland firm, FILA USA Inc., is owed more than $940,000.

Stage operated stores under a variety of brands, including Stage Stores, Bealls, Palais Royal, Peebles, Gordmans and Goody’s.

In 2017, Stage bought the Gordmans name, along with 48 stores and one distribution center, and later announced plans to convert all its stores to the off-price Gordmans brand to compete with discount retailers such as TJ Maxx and Burlington.

The rebrand had included the former Peebles department stores in Easton and Chestertown.

Although those changes had seen some success, the pandemic halted any progress in improving the company’s finances.

The firm, in a list of frequently asked questions on its website, wrote:

“Over the last several months, we had been taking significant steps to attempt to strengthen our financial position and find an independent path forward.

“However, the increasingly challenging market environment was made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, which required us to temporarily close all of our stores and furlough the vast majority of our associates.”

Stage will reopen its 738 stores in a phased approach to liquidate inventory as it seeks a buyer.

About 557 stores will open on May 15, 67 stores are expected to open on May 28, and the remaining stores are expected to open on June 4.

Glazer said the store closing sales would include brand name apparel and home decor merchandise.

The company “will continue to follow health authorities’ recommendations and industry best practices as we reopen to ensure our guests and associates feel comfortable in our stores and facilities,” he wrote. “We will provide additional information about the steps we are taking, which include ensuring appropriate social distancing, the use of face covers, enhanced cleaning and sanitation, modified purchasing and returns processes, and good hygiene and health awareness.

Stage expects “to honor existing customer programs, including gift cards and returns, for the first 30 days after a store reopens,” Glazer wrote. “We will not be issuing gift cards at this time and we encourage you to use them while you can.”

Gift cards, rewards or coupons that expired while the store was closed because of COVID-19 will not be honored.

For questions about products, warranties or rewards, customers in the U.S. should continue to contact the customer service team via phone at 800.743.8730, email or text.

If customers have questions regarding the restructuring process, or for information about which stores will be affected, visit www.gordmans.com.

Let’s Get Virtual – A Free Workshop Series

May 8, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

May 11, 2020 10AM Step 1: Websites

May 18, 2020 10AM Step 2: Virtual Exhibits

June 1, 2020 10 AM Step 3: Virtual Tours and More

Even though our heritage sites may be physically closed, we can still offer exciting experiences. Learn how to offer virtual experiences – a wander through a historic house, a view of favorite exhibits, or offer behind the scenes peeks of a heritage site – in the Stories of the Chesapeake workshop series: Let’s Get Virtual. This free three-part series will focus on content, technical requirements, equipment, and best practices for building a rewarding virtual experience without breaking the bank.

Robert Forloney and Raven Bishop will lead the workshops. Mr. Forloney is a Program Developer & Cultural Institution Consultant with extensive experience working with both large and small heritage sites including the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, South Street Seaport, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Museum of Modern Art, and the Museum of the City of New York.

Ms. Bishop is an Instructional Technologist at Washington College and is also a National Board-Certified Visual Arts Educator with over 15 years of experience in project-based curriculum and instructional design. She leads the new Virtual/Augmented Reality Digital Imaging Studio [VARDIS] in Washington College’s Miller Library where her work explores augmented & virtual reality in instruction, particularly as it applies to museum instruction for small, rural, community-curated museums. Her work in this field has won she and her collaborators the 2018 Campus Technology Education Futurists IMPACT Award and a 2018 National Digital Stewardship Alliance (NDSA) Innovation Award.

To register for the workshop and obtain login information, please contact the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area at info@storiesofthechesapeake.org or 410-778-1460.

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